Loving You, Loving Me: How you can improve your self esteem & that of the people you care about
Razi Berry I spent the first third of my life basing my self worth on what I imagined other people thought of me. When I was in a great relationship, I felt great. I felt pretty, smart, and happy. When I wasn’t, I felt ugly, stupid and insecure. I felt irrelevant. That’s about the gist […]
Anandamide: An Endocannabinoid and “bliss molecule”
Razi Berry Hemp and cannabis products such as CBD oil are becoming increasingly popular in the natural health market. The active components of cannabis and hemp are cannabinoids – THC and cannabidiol are the most prevalent and well known. But the human body actually produces its own cannabinoids, endocannabinoids. A neurotransmitter and the “bliss molecule” One […]
Let’s Look at “Love Sickness”: Why Some Breakups Physically Hurt
Razi Berry “Lovesick” is a very real thing, and I was I remember late night walking down the long narrow hall to the laundry room. Walking past pizza boxes in the flickering light to cash in dollars for quarters to feed the payphone in the hall of my college dorm. I was thousands of miles […]
The Autoimmune Diet Protocol
Dr. Sarah Zadek (King), ND Autoimmune diseases are those in which an individual’s immune system attacks its own cells or tissues under the belief they are invaders. These disorders often arise from imbalances in our T-helper cells, specifically Th1, Th2, and more recently noted, Th17 cells.1 Increased stimulation of one type of T helper cell versus […]
Regulate Brain’s Dopamine System with Exercise to Treat Addiction
Node Smith, ND A recent study looks at how exercise may regulate neural pathways that are altered and dysfunctional in addiction. Specifically, the research has identified a mechanism in which aerobic exercise can impact treatment and prevention strategies. Exercise proven to be a vital tool in the treatment of many mental illnesses Exercise has shown […]
Medicating Stress and Depression Away- The Search for the “Dr. Feel Good” Pill (Part II)
Dr Sarah LoBisco, ND In Part I, I discussed the prevalence of major depression in America and that the current approach to “fix” mood imbalances with a pill is not effectively addressing the root cause. I reviewed a recent study that discovered that a receptor for stress was elevated in those with major depression. The […]
Discontinuing Exercise May Increase Depressive Symptoms
Node Smith, ND A new research study on mental health from the University of Adelaide concludes that cessation of exercise can actually result in an increase of depressive symptoms.1 This supports the well documented finding that exercise is actually one of the most consistently beneficial treatments for mild to moderate depression. The study reviewed many […]
Increasing Peer Awareness of Depression Increases Help-Seeking
Node Smith, ND A recent paper was published that discusses a new approach to facilitating community awareness of mental health. The approach concentrates on peer-to-peer education and interaction at the high school and junior high level.1 The program is called the Peer-to-Peer Depression Awareness Campaign (P2P). Peer-to-Peer Depression Awareness Campaign (P2P) High schools nationwide report […]
Meditation for Managing Attention and Emotions
Node Smith, ND A recent study adds to the increasing acceptance that the ability to silence the chaotic inner workings of the mind, through meditation, is a crucial foundation for gaining control over our emotions and attention. In the study, the description used for what meditation facilitates is great – the experience of mental silence. […]
Nutrition for Mental Health
Node Smith, ND We often don’t consider how much our diets contribute to mental health. In fact, it is common for even more holistically minded health practitioners to advocate very adamantly for diet and lifestyle changes for conditions such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, even cancer, while considering depression and anxiety as needing specific […]